Georgetown, Guyana – August 26, 2025 – A domestic dispute ended in tragedy Tuesday when 36-year-old ExxonMobil employee Atiya Solomon was gunned down by her estranged husband, 36-year-old Alroy Solomon, who then turned the weapon on himself. Their 10-year-old child was also injured in the attack and remains hospitalized at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Police believe the incident was a murder-suicide fueled by the couple’s ongoing marital problems. Investigators confirmed that the Solomons were in the middle of a divorce and had been living apart. Atiya had only recently relocated to Charlotte Street after her previous home was allegedly destroyed by fire. Neighbors and relatives told reporters that the relationship had long been troubled. Coel Marks, the brother of the property owner, disclosed that police had already investigated at least two prior shooting incidents at the same property within the past three months, an alarming sign that the violence was escalating.
This latest tragedy has put a national spotlight on domestic violence, which remains a persistent problem in Guyana. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Guyana ranks among the countries in the Caribbean with high rates of gender-based violence. A 2019 survey conducted by UN Women found that nearly 55 percent of Guyanese women reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Experts warn that early signs of abuse, such as threats, stalking, or the use of weapons, are often dismissed until it is too late.
The Solomon case, with reports of multiple prior shooting incidents, reflects a broader challenge: how to intervene effectively when domestic disputes escalate into dangerous territory. Advocacy groups are renewing calls for the enforcement of restraining orders and better community policing to protect victims before violence turns fatal. They argue that systems must be in place to ensure that reports of gun violence within domestic settings are treated with urgency.
For neighbors on Charlotte Street, the murder-suicide has left behind grief and fear. Many are questioning how a man already linked to past shooting incidents was able to carry out another attack. “This is not the first time we hear gunshots here,” one resident told this publication. “But now two people are dead, and a child has to suffer.”
Police say investigations are continuing.
